Chengdu
Pandas' Hometown
Jiuzhaigou
Famous Fairyland
Emeishan
Sacred Buddhist Site
Leshan
Giant Buddha
Gonggashan
Best for Hiking
Daocheng Yading
Shangri La Views
Dujiangyan
Irrigation System
Siguniangshan
Eastern Alps
The centuries-old history, unique local culture and pleasant geography have earned many great reputations for Chengdu, such as “Great Historical & Cultural City of China”, “Best Tourist City in China”, “City of Gourmet”, etc. During its around 3,200 years’ history, many great historical sites were created by the diligent and creative ancestors. At the same time, Chengdu is known as the sanctuary of the Giant Pandas. Following is the list of most popular and featured attractions in Chengdu.
Types: Nature & Wildlife Areas
Visit: half day
Opened in 1993, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding ( or Chengdu Panda Base) is located about 10 km north of the downtown. It is known as the best tourist destination to get close to the rare giant pandas. Here you can closely see the pandas of different ages resting, eating and playing with each other. Another highlight of a visit to the panda base is that you can watch the baby pandas through glass in their playpens at the breeding center...
Types: Parks
Visit: 1~2 hours
People’s Park is located near Tianfu Square in the center area of Chengdu. It is the first park in Chengdu and one of the first established parks in China. People’s park was called Shaocheng Park when it was first built in 1911. The name came from its location in the Shaocheng (small city) built for the Manchuria soldiers sent to Tibet and came back to settle. The big city (Taicheng) was built in today’s Tianfu Square as early as 311BC. In 1911, the Manchuria government came to the end and the Manchurians needed to be relocated so the governor of Sichuan enclosed today’s Shaocheng Park solely to be the residence for the Manchurians. Today it has become a significant place for Chengdu people. It is a small world inside the park where you can see the relaxed lifestyle of Chengdu people...
Types: Show & Performance
Visit: 1~2 hours
Sichuan Opera is a symbol of Sichuan culture, and "Bian Lian" (face-changing) as the signature skill of Sichuan Opera, is one of the essential and core contents of the entire Sichuan Opera system. As the birthplace of Bian Lian, Chengdu has the most authentic Sichuan Opera Bian Lian performances, with the most famous venue being the Shu Feng Ya Yun Theater. Located in the famous Qin Tai Road City Cultural Park, the Shu Feng Ya Yun Theater is peaceful and serene, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. It is close to Chengdu's famous cultural landmarks such as Qin Tai Ancient Road, Qingyang Taosit Palace, Kuanzhai Alley, and others....
Types: Religious Site
Visit: 1~2 hours
Zhaojue Monastery is an influential Buddhist temple which has alredy existed for more than 1480 years. It is located about 5 kilometers away northeast from central Chengdu city, close the Chengdu Zoo. Its longlansting history can be dated back to Han Dynasty when a official named Dong Chang residence here, and gave the original name of Jianyuan. It became a Buddhist monastery during 627~649 of Tang Dynasty. Later, Xi Zong of Tang gave it the name “Zhaojue” which is still currently used. Zhaojue refers a deep theory in Buddhism – Revelation and Enlightenment which simply means “”instructing the people with perfect understanding of Dharma and enlightening the later starters in Dharma learning.” ...
Types: Religious Site
Visit: 1~2 hours
Qingyang Taoist Temple is a Quanzhen School Taoist Temple and an important national Quanzhen Taoist Temple in China. It is located on the west by the first ring road in Chengdu. It is also named the Number 1 Taoist Temple in Chengdu. Qingyang Taoist Temple also has a very long history. It was built in Zhou Dynasty which is about 3000 years ago. It was rebuilt in Dynasty by Emperor Xizong. But it was destroyed by the end of Ming Dynasty. The constructions left today are mainly from Qing Dynasty by Emperor Kangxi. The temple is composed of Entrance Screen, Three Saints Hall, Emperor Tang’s Hall, Huangyuan Hall and Taichi Pagoda. Taichi Pagoda is the most luxury construction with a well-decorated Lao Tzu Statue. The most precious Taoist book is stored in this temp as well...
Types: Museum
Visit: 2 hours
Sichuan Provincial Museum is a comprehensive museum and the biggest museum in Sichuan Province. It was first built in 1941 and accommodates pieces of bronze and pottery, Paintings from Zhangdaqian, carved bricks from Han Dynasty, etc. At present it has 14 exhibition halls and over 260,000 pieces of archeological items. Sichuan Provincial Museum has three stories and a total area of over 5 hectares for exhibition. It is located in Huanhua Park in Chengdu. Visitor can use personal ID to get a free ticket from Tuesday to Sunday...
Types: Religious Site
Visit: 2 hours
Baoguang Monastery is believed to be built in Eastern Han Dynasty about 1900 years ago. It is one of the four greatest monasteries within the Yangtze River Range. It is located 20km north to Chengdu. Baoguang Monastery is a big Buddhist Monastery with a complete system with different constructions. It is only about half an hour’s drive from Chengdu one shall reach Baoguang Monastery in Xindu District in the north. It covers a total of 8 hectares inside the condense area of Xindu. Entrance charge is 5 yuan...
Types: Ancient Town
Visit: half day
Luodai Ancient Town is a REALLY OLD tow. It is said Luodai was firstly as a street named Wanjing Street in Han Dynasty. During the Three Kingdom period, the famous Prime minister of Shu – Zhu Geliang carried out many policies to develop those small town with markets, Luodai Town got its second name as Wanfu Street. The current name Luodai was named because of the second emperor of Shu – Liu Chang. His jade belt fell into a will when he was trying to catch a carp fish...
Types: Ancient Town
Visit: half day
Huanglongxi Old Town has a history of over 1700 years. Huanglong means yellow dragon and xi means river. It was believed that the river and the outline of the town resemble a dragon so it came the name yellow dragon. Huanglongxi Old Town has many constructions built in a traditional style. It is one of the old towns near Chengdu. Huanglongxi Old Town is located 40km south to Chengdu. It is a more authentic old town as many visitors are from local...
Types: Parks
Visit: 1~2 hours
Chengdu Culture Park is a local couture themed park which is located at West Section 2, 1st Ring Road, close to Wenjun Qintai Park and Qingyang Taoist Temple. It covers more than 71,326 square meters consisting of greenbelt ,water lake, towers, stones, statues. The main attraction in the park include Shierqiao Martyrs’s Tombs, Large Relief Art Wall, Zhiji Rock and Octagonal Pavilion, etc...
Types: Parks
Visit: 1~2 hours
Wangjianglou Park is located by Fuhe River next Sichuan University. It is a park featured with bamboos. Built in this park are a bamboo museum and museum of the founder of Wangjianglou Park Xuetao. Xetao is a talent female poet in China. In the park there is a famous pagoda the Wangjiang Pagoda, which is one of the images of Chengdu today...
Types: Museum
Visit: 1 hour
Chengdu Shu Brocade and Embroidery Museum is located by Huanhuaxi Park in Chengdu. This museum features Shu Brocade, Shu Embroideries, Shu Clothing and Looms, the art of making silk products. It is consisted of three major parts: a historical galley of Shu Brocade and Embroidery, a small factory of brocade making and a shop of traditional and modern Shu Brocade and Embroidery products.
Types: Activity
Visit: 1-2 hours
Sichuan opera, which features the mask-changing and fire-spitting tricks, has won its popularity and fame across China. If anyone is to visit Chengdu, to watch this mask-changing opera is a very good choice to spend your evening time in Chengdu. Sichuan Opera is a one-thousand-year Shu Culture abd a hundred-year long folk art.
Types: Old Street
Visit: 1-2 hours
Jinli Old Street is one of the biggest old streets in Chengdu. It is one of the must-sees sites in Chengdu. It is considered part of the Wuhou Shrine. Jinli means the alley of brocade, named after another name of Chengdu. It is a traditional pedestrian street in Chengdu. Jinli is 550 meters’ long and was named the first commercial street in Chengdu. The constructions are from Ming and Qing Dynasty. You can find restaurants, bars and many interesting shops here.
Types: Market
Visit: Half Day
Global Center is also called New Century Global Center. It is located by the southern suburb of Chengdu. It is the biggest solo buildinginthe world by far in 2016. The size of this building is 500 meters’ long times 400 meters’ wide times 100 meters’ tall. It has become of the icons of Chendgu recently. It is a plaza where you can shop in the many shopping centers, eat from different restaurants, or watch movie at the cinemas, and find a hotel, etc.
Types: Museum
Visit: 2-3 hours
Wuhou Shrine is also called Han Zhaolie Temple, or Memorial of Zhugeliang. It is a temple in memory of the famous Chinese Prime Minister from Three Kingdoms about 18 centuries ago. It was built in 223 AD when people started to build a tomb for Liu Bei, the king of Shu. Wuhou Shrine is the only one temple in China that has a king and a minister in a temple together. In China, three kingdoms are popular historical facts. There is three kingdoms culture. And Wuhou Shrine is one the most significant sites of this culture. Wuhou is the prime minister. And the name of the temple was after the prime minister instead of the king.
Types: Park
Visit: 1 hours
Tianfu Square is at the heart place of Chengdu. Tianfu is another name of Chengdu we call. Tianfu means Abundance, referring the rich land and good climate we have. Tianfu Square resembles the center of Beijing but smaller. It is 88,000 sqm’s in size and has more than one floors. It is the center of Chengdu and one of the icons we use to present Chengdu. North to the square is a 30-meter statue of Mao, the former head of Chinese Communist Party.
Types: Museum
Visit: 2-3 hours
The Jinsha Site Museum is a crucial discovery of ancient Shu civilization. The Museum is located at the original archaeological site in at the northwest of Chengdu. This museum is built to preserve and display Jinsha Relics Site, as well as provide an opportunity to study ancient Shu civilization. In 2007, Jinsha Site Museum announced its official opening to the public. The museum covers an area of 300,000 sqm. It consists of a relic hall, an exhibition hall, a center of conservation and restoration, a center of cultural communication and a theme park. Most of the museum’s collections have high value of history, research and exhibition due to its variety in types.
Types: Museum
Visit: Half Day
Jianchuan Museums were founded by a successful entrepreneur Fan Jianchuan. It is located at Anren Old Town in at Dayi in Chengdu, home to the Liu’s House and after the built-up the museums, this place is also called Town of Museums. Jianchuan Museums is composed of several different themed museums of historical events and collections. It has over 8 millions collections in total and it is by far the largest private museum in China. Its motto is “for peace we collect war, for future we collect lessons, for good life we collect disaster, for inheriting we collect traditions”.
Types: Old Town
Visit: Half Day
Anren is the name of this old town. Anren means “Good Wish”. Anren Old Town was built in Tang Dynasty about 14 centuries ago. Most of its remaining constructions are from end of Qing Dynasty and the beginning of Republic China, especially during 1930s when the Liu’s family was the head of this place. The constructions here are traditional yet have introduced western style, a result of the western influence during Republic China. The Lius were the richest family during that period and the house built were big and luxury.
Types: Monastery
Visit: 2-3 hours
Wenshu Monastery is located at Wenshufang, a traditional street block in the city of Chengdu. It is one of the most important Chinese Buddhist Monasteries in China. Wenshu Monastery is also the head of the four great monasteries at upper/middle Yangtze Range. It is a monastery, a Zen shrine, a traditional garden and a pilgrimage destination. It was first built in Sui Dynasty in the beginning of the 7th Century and rebuilt during Kangxi Area in the 17th Century. This monastery has a size of 200,000 sqm and all built in wood. It has in total 300 statues in the monastery. It was called Xinxiang Temple at the beginning and later changed into Miaoyuan Buddha Stupa.
Types: Old Street
Visit: 1-2 hours
Kuanzhai Alley is also called Big and Small Alleys in Chengdu. It is a traditional block of shops. The constructions are a copy of the old Chengdu about 100 years ago. And it is usually very crowd. Kuanzhai Alley is one of the three preserved old blocks after Daci Monastery and Wenshu Monastery. The alleys are composed of KuanAlley (the big alley), Zhai Alley (the small alley) and Jin Alley. It was rebuilt in 2008 for travelers. But the original shops and houses were copied and you can still see folk costumes of Shu Embroidery, Shu Brocade, Bamboo Products, etc. And there are also houses with different characters like there is a traditional painting house, an old tea house.
Types: Old Street
Visit: 2 ~3 hours
By the west side of Tianfu Square, the Chengdu Museum, covering an area of about 12, 000 square meters, is close to Sichuan Library, Sichuan Art Museum and Sichuan Science & Technology Museum. With total building area of 65, 000, the museum, consisting of the south tower and north tower, has many themed exhibition halls, including three temporary exhibition halls in the underground floor and 1st floor, History and Culture Display of Chengdu in the 2nd and 3rd floors, Recent Historical Period and Folk Customs in the 4th floor and Puppetry and Shadow Plays of China in the 5th floor.
Types: Ethnic Culture
Visit: 2 ~3 hours
Located directly in front of the Wuhou Shrine and Jinli Ancient Street, the colorful Tibetan Quarter has taken shape as an enclave that, first and foremost, fulfills the needs of the Tibetan diaspora. Address: West of Jinjiang Hotel Station, Metro Line 1, along Wuhou Cross Street, Wuhou District. Open year-around 24hrs.
Types: Old Street
Visit: 2 ~3 hours
Pengzhen Old Tea House is an old and authentic teahouse near Chengdu. It is located by the riverside of Yangliu in Shuangliu District, Chengdu. It has a history of over 100 years and a famous photography location for many photo lovers. The teahouse itself has been listed as a protected old building.
Route: Chengdu - Dujiangyan - Chengdu
Route: Chengdu - Jiuzhaigou
Route: Chengdu - Leshan - Emeishan - Chengdu
